I keep running out of memory. How can I optimize RAM usage?

FAQ for Nisus Writer Classic (versions 6.5 and under)

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martin
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I keep running out of memory. How can I optimize RAM usage?

Post by martin »

If you have a limited amount of RAM, you may notice that you can't use the Table Tool or Equation Tool, that Text-to-Speech doesn't work, or that you get frequent "Out of Memory" messages. Here are some tips to make the most of what you have:<BR><BR> <i>Trim down your system.</i> <BR> You can make more room available for Nisus Writer by reducing the amount of RAM used by your system. Start by disabling any non-critical extensions, control panels, or fonts. Then go to your Memory Control Panel and make sure the disk cache is set to the lowest possible amount (32k). If you are using <a HREF="http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/atm/main.html" target="_blank">ATM</a>, make sure the font cache is set to a low number, or disable it entirely. <BR><BR> <i>Tune up Nisus Writer.</i> <BR> A number of Nisus Writer's preferences directly affect RAM usage. In the Editing Preferences dialog (under the Preferences submenu of the File Menu), make sure you UNcheck "Keep Application in Memory," and set your Undos to a low number, like 10 or 15. As you work, periodically clear Undos (option-command-Z) and Clipboards (option-Show Clipboard on the Edit Menu) to mark memory as purgeable. Avoid using Text-to-Speech, the graphics tools, and the Layout Page if you can. Limit the size of your default macro and glossary files, which load into memory automatically when you launch the program. Also, set Nisus Writer's preferred memory partition to a lower number (say, 1800 or 2000k) using the Finder's Get Info command. If you need to use the Table Tool or Equation Tool, try reducing their preferred memory to the "Minimum" size in the Get Info dialog. <BR><BR> <i>Get rid of unnecessary modules.</i> <BR> If you're not going to be using the Balloon Help, Floating Tool Bars, or Text-to-Speech features, you can trash the corresponding modules from your Nisus Writer Tools folder (which is inside the Nisus Writer 5.0 Folder). <br> <b>Launch Nisus Writer first.</b> If you launch Nisus Writer before your other applications, you'll prevent problems that may occur later on as memory becomes fragmented and you can't use all the memory you seem to have available. <BR><BR> <i>Try <a HREF="http://www.connectix.com/" target="_blank">RAM Doubler</a>.</i> <BR> This $50 program from Connectix makes your computer think it has twice as much RAM as it really does. While it's slower than real RAM, it's also much cheaper, and may be the most economical solution for many people. <BR><BR> <i>Turn on virtual memory.</i> <BR> If your computer supports virtual memory (in general, machines with a PowerPC, 68030, or 68040 chip or a 68020 with an added PMMU), you can turn it on for some additional simulated RAM. However, we recommend doing this ONLY in cases of dire need, because the performance of Nisus Writer will slow to a crawl. <BR><BR> <i>Buy more real RAM.</i> <BR> We hate to suggest this... but this is the most thorough and lasting solution to low-memory problems.
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